Autumn Daze
by Robin Gurl
Summary: A weird disease attacks Children during the Autumn Season. Most children don't survive the illness. Will Pippin? RR
1. Sick

**Title: Autumn Daze  
Author: Robin Girl  
Part: 1  
Universe: Movie  
Slash: None  
Beta-ed: October 2008  
Story notes: This takes place three or four days before Bilbo's birthday party.  
Disclaimer: I own no one!**

* * *

The room was booming with people but no one knew he was there. The hobbit was curled in his dad's chair looking quite bored. And to think that he could be with his cousin Merry and Frodo, but no, he was stuck here. His green eyes looked out into the crowd of hobbits.

You'd think they would grow tired and bored of doing nothing but talking. No, these were adults. All they did was talk, a very boring process.

He sighed and twisted again in his chair. This time how ever he got his feet tangled in the arm rest and fell off. He winced as he sat up rubbing his head. "Ow.."

"Peregrin!!"

The hobbit looked up from the floor to his mother hovering over him. She didn't look to happy. "Ma?"

"I've been looking for you."

"What do you want?" He was still seeing her upside down and couldn't figure out why. Then he realized that he was still on the floor.

"Take this to your Aunt Esmeralda at the party site. Can I trust you?"

Pippin sat up nodding. "Yeh, Yeh." Taking the parcel from his mother he stood and decided to make a quick trip past the kitchen on his way out. A weird thing happened. When he got there, he didn't feel like eating, which, was very unusual for him. He shrugged it off and grabbed his coat then walked out the door.

Halfway there he had to stop. His stomach hurt and he didn't know why. "This is stupid. What's wrong with me?"

Finally Pippin arrived at the party site. Everything was a live there. Just what he wanted with the new headache that had decided to pop up out of no where. He scanned the landscape and found his Aunt. Slowly he made his way down careful not to fall.

"Oh, thank you. I've been waiting for these." His aunt kissed him on the cheek then pushed him towards the field. "Meriadoc and Frodo should be over there."

He mumbled a weak thanks and stumbled over. Why wouldn't his head just stop throbbing? Was this punishment for something?

"Hoy Pip!!" Pippin looked up, it was Merry. He put on a fake smile that hopefully Merry couldn't see through. Just what he needed, Merry fussing over him. "Pip? What's wrong?"

"He looks flushed."

Pippin looked to the new comer. He didn't answer and looked to the ground trying to focus on the green grass.

"Are you alright?"

"I'm fine." Pippin replied.

"You don't look fine." Merry moved to where he could look Pippin in the eyes. His cousin adverted his eyes not looking at his cousin.

Frodo caught him and put a hand on his forehead. "You've a fever."

"Pippin." Merry's tone wasn't mean, it was a warning, like he was asking what's wrong. Pippin tried to answer, the next thought he had disappeared and he collapsed to the ground. Merry caught him just before he hit the ground. "Pip?"

"I'll be right back." Frodo ran off to the drinks sneaking a cup of water from the kids table and ran back. "How is he?"

"He hasn't woken up yet. I wonder why he didn't tell me he was ill?" Merry was ticked at himself and at Pippin. He was ticked at himself because of all people he should have known his cousin was sick. He was ticked at Pippin because Pippin didn't acknowlege that he himself was sick. Though that was very normal, Merry had hoped that just once Pip could take care of himself.

"Come on Pippin, wake up." Frodo urged gently wiping sweat off the youngest hobbit's brow.

No one at the party site seemed to know that anything was wrong. They just went on with their daily lives. A hobbit with blonde hair was walking towards them. It was almost like Merry's but lighter. His eyes were black and he was wearing a purple weskit with gray pants. "Hoy, Brandybuck."

Merry rolled his eyes his grip on Pippin tightening. Why did Roy Bracegirdle have to come now? "What do you want Roy?"

"Oh did baby Pippin fall down and skin his knee again? Really Brandybuck he needs to grow up." Roy gave an evil smirk and ruffled Pippin's hair mockingly. "You ought to get someone your age to play with."

"Touch him again and I'll turn your face inside out." Frodo warned. Normally he didn't fight but Roy Bracegirdle was an exception. Roy was the bully of all hobbit tweenagers. He hated all hobbits from the Took Family for what reason Frodo didn't know. Ever since Pippin was born Roy had been beating up on him. Pippin would come over to visit Frodo with his nose bleeding and a black eye. When asked why, Pippin would sob that he hadn't done anything that Roy had just come out of nowhere throwing him to the ground and punched him.

"Baggins, you don't even know how to fight. Stop making threats that you can't carry out." Roy stood back up as he started walking backwards he ran into another hobbit. This one had a larger build and was 1 inch shorter than Roy.

"Mr. Frodo might not know how to fight but I sure do." When Roy turned around he saw Samwise Gamgee glaring at him. The hobbit's fists were already in position.

"You can calm down Gamgee, I'm not ready for a fight today." He clapped Sam on the back then walked away. "Have fun babysitting baby Peregrin. Maybe this time Aunt Eglantine will give you a tip."

"Merry calm down, lets take care of Pippin first. Then, if there is time you can go give Roy the beating he deserves."

Merry nodded and turned back to his still out of it cousin. "Oi Pip, wake up."

This time Pippin groaned opening his eyes. Quickly he shut them when the light leaked through temporarily blinding him. "Merry? Turn the lights off. Too bright."

Merry laughed quietly kissing Pippin on his feverish brow. "We're outside you nit. Do you remember anything?"

Sam who had been quiet knelt down beside the group. He did a quick check then frowned. "Mr. Merry I do believe Mr. Took has a touch of the Autumn Daze."

"How? Sam, he's to old. Only little hobbit children get that."

"He's at that age Mr. Merry." Sam replied calmly.

The Autumn Daze was a sickness that hobbit children got during Autumn. A normal case kept a child in bed for a month with high fever and vomiting. It left the child in a daze for a day or two. During the Daze period, the child, if not watched carefully, could die. If they fell asleep for too long of a period then they would die. Pippin had it twice when he was younger and had almost died three times.

"At what age?"

"He's at the borderline age." Sam picked Pippin up gently and started walking.

"Hey wait up." Merry and Frodo both stood confused, "Where are you taking him?"

"To either Bagend or my hole."

"To Bagend. We don't need your brothers and sisters getting this Sam." Frodo exclaimed. "I'm going ahead so I can get ready and tell Bilbo."

* * *

"BILBO!!" Frodo shouted as he huffed and opened the door.

"Frodo? My lad what's wrong?" An old hobbit came running in from another room catching Frodo as he fell to his knees. "You look like you ran from here to Tuckborrow."

"Hurry, help me."

"Now calm down my boy. What's wrong?"

"Pip has the Autumn Daze again." Frodo finally got out.

Bilbo gasped, "What?"

"Merry and Sam are carrying him here."

"Shouldn't he be at home?"

Frodo shook his head, "No!!"

"Why not Frodo?"

Frodo felt tears forming in his eyes, "Uncle Paladin will whip him."

"Why would he whip Peregrin?" Bilbo was now worried. More worried than before.

"He whips him for everything. You know that. Now come on and help me please Uncle!!"

"Alright, Alright, no need to cry." Bilbo wiped Frodo's tears away, "If it's that important that he stays here to get well than so be it."

Frodo smiled and hugged his Uncle. "Thank you."

"Get those soft sheets for Peregrin. He's going to be wanting them."

* * *

Pippin moaned opening his eyes again. When he looked up he saw another hobbit, not Merry. "Wha?"

"It's alright Pip, Sam's got you."

"Merry?" All of these voices were talking to him at once. It was to much to handle at one time.

"Yes, Pip."

"Now you hang in there Mr. Took, we're taking you to Bagend." Sam soothed patting Pippin's back.

"Sam, I think I'm going to sick.." Pippin whispered.

Sam gently, but quickly sat Pippin on the side of the road. Merry was at Pip's side in an instant holding back his cousin's curls as Pippin vomited. "It's alright Pip, let it all out."

Nothing but bile came out leaving Dry Heaves behind. Pippin convulsed and shuddered wishing it was over already. Finally his body decided that it had enough and stopped leaving Pippin weak. The youngest hobbit groaned laying back into Merry.

"Should we try to start again?" Sam asked.

Pippin shook his head weakly not saying a word. Merry kissed him again on the forehead wrapping his arms around the Took. "It's alright, we'll wait awhile for your stomach to settle."

End Chapter 1

(PLEASE REVIEW!)


	2. A Glimmer Of Hope

**Title: Autumn Daze  
Author: Robin Girl  
Part: 2  
Universe: Movie  
Slash: None  
Beta-ed: October 2008  
Story notes: This takes place three or four days before Bilbo's birthday party.  
Disclaimer: I own no one!**

* * *

Frodo was jolted out of sleep by a shout from the other room. Then he remembered what had happened earlier that day, "It's started." Quickly the hobbit got out of bed and ran into the other room. Merry was in the hall as well.

Curiously Frodo looked into the room. Bilbo was sitting Pippin up letting him cough up whatever he had to while trying to wash him off with a cool cloth. Merry's blue-gray eyes watered, "This isn't fair, Frodo."

"It's alright Merry, he'll get through this."

"Mister Merry. Mister Frodo?"

"Sam, how is he?"

"The fever's gotten worse. But if we're lucky it shouldn' last long. His case isn' as bad as it could have been, if you get my meanin', sir."

It was a glimmer of hope, small, but still hope.

"You can come help if you want to, Mr. Merry." Merry nodded following Sam into the room. "Mr. Bilbo, sir, I brought some help."

"Oh good, he's been calling for you."

Merry sat on the edge of the bed. Pippin realized who was on the bed and snuggled close letting Bilbo wash him with the cool cloth. Merry held his younger cousin trying not to push him away. Pippin's skin was hot, almost to hot to touch.

Outside in the hall Frodo noticed tears in Sam's eyes. "Sam what is wrong?"

Embarrassed that he was caught the Gardner turned the other way, "Nothin' sir, it's nothin' for you to be worryin' yourself over."

"Must be if it deserves to shed tears for." Frodo put a hand on Sam's shoulder realizing what was wrong, "Is it Pip?"

"Yes, sir." Sam stammered out, "I jus' don' like seein' someone of Mister Took's innocence sick like this. He doesn' deserve this."

"True Sam, but he'll get through it, I have faith in him."

* * *

"I've done all I can for tonight. Just let him sleep." Bilbo told the Brandybuck, "We were lucky, Pippin only has a light case. Won't take long for it to go away."

Merry smiled happily cradling his sleeping cousin in his arms. "Oh! Thank the lady!"

End Chapter 2

(Ok, you'll be ready to throttle me next chapter. Just don' though, kay? ; I know what I'm doing. And even if he does get well very quickly I'll just find another way to undo that. XD)


	3. Worries of a Loved One

**Title: Autumn Daze  
Author: Robin Girl  
Part: 3  
Universe: Movie  
Slash: None  
Beta-ed: October 2008  
Story notes: This takes place three or four days before Bilbo's birthday party.  
Disclaimer: I own no one!**

* * *

Merry awoke that morning with Pippin still in his arms. His cousin wasn't as feverish as before. "Pip," He whispered gently, "Wake up."

Pippin groaned softly and his green eyes fluttered open, "What? Oh Merry.."

Merry looked down tears of happiness beginning to form in his navy-blue eyes. Pippin was talking and wasn't shivering from the fever anymore, or at least not now. "Yes, that's right. Do you remember anything, Pip?"

The young Took looked up curiously and saw tears in Merry's eyes. Something was definitely wrong but what? Remember what from last night, he wondered? Oh wait, those moments when all he wanted was Merry and kept feeling cold then hot. Pippin snuggled deep down in Merry's embrace, "I called for you!! You never came."

"Dear heart, I did. I came as soon as I heard you were feeling worse than before. I promise I did. You scared ten years of growth out of me yesterday when Sam said you had the Autumn Daze. Most young hobbits die from that, Pip."

Green eyes widened from fear, "Die? Oh Merry, I'm not going to die am I?"

Merry shook his head kissing his cousin's unruly curls, "No, you aren't, goose, you are going to live. Sam said you were lucky and didn't get as bad of a case as he thought you had."

"Did you really come last night?" Pippin asked taking Merry's hands into his. He held them tight hoping to tell Merry that he was ok.

"Yes, I did. Oh you were very feverish last night, so feverish my shirt was soaked in no time. You couldn't breathe very well at all and sometimes someone had to sit you up and make you cough everything up. It was horrible and I felt my heart wrench every time I heard you whimper."

"I'm ok Merry, I promise!! I won't die!! If I die then who will take care of you?" Pippin turned around and sat up. He felt dizzy but ignored the feeling and instead hugged Merry close.

Merry snorted softly but wrapped his arms around his cousin's small form. "Thank you Pip." When Pippin didn't move Merry started to worry and pulled his cousin away gently. His cousin had fallen asleep again. "Oh, Pip." Merry kissed Pippin's hair again and held him close rocking him as he looked out side.

He wondered what was going to happen later today…

End Chapter 3

(WHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!! No Cliff Hanger!! WHEE!! dances NEXT story..LOL)


	4. Once More Pip Worsens

**Title: Autumn Daze  
Author: Robin Girl  
Part: 4  
Universe: Movie  
Slash: None  
Beta-ed: October 2008  
Story notes: This takes place three or four days before Bilbo's birthday party.  
Disclaimer: I own no one!**

* * *

Merry sighed as he sat down on the edge of Pippin's bed. The young one's fever had shot back up around elevenises and it hadn't come back down. Though the good thing was that Pippin's case of the Autumn Daze was more of the flu, which Merry rejoiced about every second of the day. He'd never been so scared than when he learned that his youngest cousin had the Autumn Daze.

He brushed away some of Pippin's curls and kissed the sleeping hobbits forehead. Pippin murmured slightly in his sleep but didn't awaken. Merry reached into the bowl and grabbed a cloth. After ringing it out, he soaked Pippin's burning brow in it. "I'm so sorry you had to get this, Goose. You of all people, to get this disease."

"Merry?" Frodo walked up behind Merry with a tray in his hands. He sat the tray down on the table then sat on the other side of the bed. "How is he?"

"Eru, I thought he was getting better!" Merry hissed unable to hold his feelings in any longer. The young Brandybuck hung his head and began to cry. Frodo smiled sympathetically and got up walking over to Merry. "Why is he sick, Frodo? What did Pippin do?"

"Pippin did nothing, Merry." Frodo replied softly. He knelt down in front of his younger cousin and hugged him close. "You've been so brave not crying once. I know it's hard, but you have to have faith in Pippin." In all of the fuss everyone had forgotten just how young Merry was. He was still a tweenager trying to grow up.

No matter how much 'Child Raising' he'd preformed flawlessly with Pippin, he was still a child, a growing lad, himself. Frodo rocked the young hobbit as he sobbed. If Pippin had been awake the young Took would have been frightened beyond reason at seeing his Merry cry. "He will get better, Merry."

"I know, it's just so hard to believe that when he's writhing in pain with a fever that's so high."

Frodo nodded fighting back his own tears. "I know, Merry. I know. But Pippin's stubborn he'll pull through. If he can fall from a tree and not break a limb then surely he can fight this sickness." That got a giggle out of Merry. The blonde pulled away still slightly sniffling. "That's it, smile. You don't want to be looking so down if Pip wakes up. You'll frighten the poor lad."

Merry smiled wiping his tears away and nodding. "What's the food for? I already ate."

"It's for Pip. He needs to eat so he can have strength to get well." Frodo replied. "You want to feed him or shall you want my assitance?"

"Stay, please." Merry said sitting on the edge of Pippin's bed. "I may need your help." With that Merry gently carressed Pippin's feverish cheek. "Pip, come on, wake up." The small body slowly began to answer to the gentle touches coming from the Brandybuck. He groaned and opened his eyes. Merry took a deep breath after seeing his cousin's feverish glowing green eyes. "Oi, Pippin."

"I want to sleep." Pippin croaked rubbing his eyes.

Merry shook his head and gathered the Took in his arms. "No, I need you to eat."

"No, Merry, no food." Pippin cried trying to get away. "I'm not hungry."

Merry sighed and would have let Pippin go back to sleep but Frodo's gaze stopped him. "No, come on. Either eat it yourself or I'll feed it to you." He took the plate of bread from the tray and tore off a tiny piece handing it to Pippin. Pippin relucantly took it and put it in his mouth. After Merry was sure Pippin had swallowed it, he gave him another piece.

Slowly Pippin ate stopping once in awhile to drink some of the water Frodo had brought. Merry was glad that Pippin was eating something. He was afraid that he was going to have to force something down. "That's it!" Merry congradulated the young Took. "You're doing great."

"Merry, I'm not hungry any more.." Pippin whispered pushing the last bit of bread away. Merry cuddled the youngest close and then laid him back down in his bed.

"You did great, Pip." Merry whispered pulling the covers over Pippin's small frame. It broke his heart for Pippin to be pushing away food, but at least he ate something without fuss.

"You won't leave, right, Mer?"

"Of course not." Merry replied stroking Pippin's small hand. He moved back to where he was sitting in the chair and nodded a thanks to Frodo who squeezed his shoulder reassuringly before leaving. "I'm staying right here."

Pippin let a weak smile play across his face before closing his eyes. In seconds he was fast asleep with one hand intertwined with Merry's. Merry moved the chair closer and watched over his cousin before drifting off with his head on the bed.

End Chapter 4


	5. The Worst Is Yet To Come?

**Title: Autumn Daze  
Author: Robin Girl  
Part: 5  
Universe: Movie  
Slash: None  
Beta-ed: October 2008  
Story notes: This takes place three or four days before Bilbo's birthday party.  
Disclaimer: I own no one!**

* * *

That night was the longest Merry had slept since the whole fiasco started. He was awoken by a weak hoarse cough. Opening his eyes he saw through his blurry vision Pippin's head of curls and that was all he could see. "Oi, Goose!" He climbed out of the chair a bit slowly than he had the past few mornings. After four nights in a chair your back starts complaining no matter how old you are. He padded over beside the bed and studied the mound of Pippin. For a second he didn't know what to say or if he should wake his cousin or let him sleep.

Pippin answered his question for him when the youngest sat up on his own rubbing his eyes. His unruly curls made Merry laugh a little. "Mer- did we miss breakfast or did you eat mine?"

"I should think I'd let you have mine as well if you could keep it down." Merry sat beside his cousin checking for the fever that had lasted through for nearly a week.

"I think the fever is gone, Mer. I don't feel hot anymore. Can we see Frodo today?"

Pippin's question made Merry turn sharply towards the young Took. "But Pip, you've been ill for nearly a week. You should stay in bed until we are sure you're well enough to be out. Why if I let you set one foot on the ground half the Shire would have my head for dinner."

"But Merrrryyy-" Pippin whined. "I've been cooped up for so long and it's my first morning that I haven't woken up and had to use the privy so I could throw it all up." He tried his best puppy dog eyes this time Merry crossed his arms and shook his head. He was losing this fight. Badly. "It's not fair to keep me in bed this long."

"It is fair." Merry didn't want to mention the other fact that this was just as Sam had told him. Pippin was having an up spell then the worst would hit. He didn't want to be away when it hit. He was scared of what the worst looked like. His mother always kept Pippin's sisters and he away from Pippin during this time. And now it was his turn whether he wished or not to see it.

Of course in reason, if Merry wasn't going to tell Pippin then he couldn't logically keep the young Took in his bed. Maybe they could go to the outer most room of Bag End and sit and chat with Frodo. Surely Frodo would be able to help him if the worst hit today or this afternoon.

So it was decided. Merry would help Pippin walk into the reading room and sit with Frodo all day if Frodo would have them. Which of course he would. Frodo Baggins never turned any of his cousin's away. When the two hobbits finally got into the room Frodo was sitting cross legged in one of Bilbo's chairs reading a book in that weird language that Gandalf had brought back from his journey out into the unknown.

"Frodo!"

Frodo lifted his head nearly throwing his book in the air. He looked startled but smiled when he saw who the intruders were. "Ah, morning to you both. How was your sleep last night?" The look Frodo was giving Merry was enough to send Merry back to the room.

Merry just shrugged back steadying Pippin as he started to wobble. "Sit down, Pip. You've stood to long." Pippin replied with a weak nod and was helped to lay on the over sized chair that usually belonged to Gandalf when he visited.

"Pip, could you stand for Samwise to watch over you while I talk with Merry alone?" It wasn't really a question. It was more of a command. Before Pippin could answer Frodo was at the window. "Sam! Could you come inside. Merry and I need to talk and I would feel much better if someone were keeping an eye on Pippy for us. It won't be long I assure you." He smiled sweetly at the kind hearted gardener who was trying his best to protest but in the end gave up and was at the door in seconds dusting his hands off.

"Mr. Frodo, I have lots of work to be done. Please don't take long."

"Don't worry, Sam. I am just going to knock some sense into Merry."

"Right, and that won't take long at all." Sam grumbled sitting in the chair next to Pippin who looked half asleep anyway. "Well get on with your business Mr. Frodo. The garden won't wait much longer."

"Don't worry Sam..." Frodo's voice drifted off as he wrapped an arm around Merry's shoulders and dragged him down the winding hallways of Bag End.

"Frodo, stop! What do you want?"

"You fool of a Brandybuck. What do you think you are doing letting Pippin out of bed so soon?" Frodo's blue eyes were dark as he hissed. "Have you lost all of those Brandybuck Brains you earned from your father?"

"It was either that or Pippin moaning and being a pain all day, Frodo." Merry defended trying to pull away.

"He's not well, Merry. You do know that right? He's not alright. Not yet. He's-"

"Frodo- STOP IT!" Tears streamed down Merry's cheeks. "I know he's not alright, I know that. Trust me, I know it. But I'm not going to let that get me down. I'm going to let him be apart of the world until it hits again. It's not fair on him."

"You could be hurting him worse- you know that?"

Merry didn't lift his head and only stared at the floor. His anger was near boiling point. "If you can't have him up then I'll travel with him on your horse to one of our houses."

"And what? Get all of Pippin's sisters sick? Or all of your cousins? Merry you've got to stay here."

"You just can't stand to think that Pippin is getting better." Merry shot back accusingly. "Well I'm not going to let this Autumn Daze win. He is going to get better.We will show you."

"Don't accuse me of not wanting him well." Frodo suddenly shouted pushing Merry up agaisnt the wall. His blue eyes were glowing with an anger Merry had never experienced before first hand. "You were too young to remember the past three times this happened to Pippin. All of those times you weren't allowed to go near- I was. I had to sit with him. I had to feed him. Merry I was you."

"Frodo...I..." Merry just stammered embarrassed as more tears fell. "I...I'm sorry...I never knew..."

"You're right, we can't give up on him, but bringing him out of the room that was made specifically for this situation is only making it worse. And you're allowing the disease to spread through Bag End."

"Then what do we do?"

"We let him out of bed around that room and that room only. I will come in there and sit with you and he if he wishes for that. But exposing the rest of Hobbiton to this plague is not smart at all."

"Beggin' your pardon, Mr. Frodo, but Mr. Took isn't fairing well. He's started to vomit again and made quite a mess of it if I may be so brave as to say." Sam looked embarrassed to be caught eves dropping. Merry pushed past Frodo and Sam running down the halls calling for his cousin.

"FRODO! He's not responding!" Merry's voice went up an octave and Frodo could nearly taste the fear in his voice. He looked at Sam and both of them started to run.

End Chapter 5

(xD yeh about two more chapters and we'll be done with this one :D)


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